Syria DirectAzzam Daaboul2026-01-09T14:44:06+01:00
  • Olive trees on Abdullatif Boubki’s land in the Idlib countryside city of Salqin, northwestern Syria, 12/10/2025 (Faisal Yaasoub)

How olive oil exports exacerbate Syria’s water crisis

Even as Syria suffers an acute water crisis, thousands of cubic meters of groundwater are flowing into the global market in the form of olive oil, an export that represents both national pride and a silent depletion of resources.

  • Umm Muhammad fries kibbeh, a famous Syrian dish made with bulgur wheat and meat, outside her home in the southern Idlib countryside town of Kafr Nubl, 20/3/2025 (Salwa Abdulrahman/Syria Direct)

Preparing for iftar in Kafr Nubl (Photos)

Umm Muhammad prepares an iftar meal for her children in Kafr Nubl, the southern Idlib town she and her husband returned to after the Assad regime fell. Many families—including her children—have not returned due to extensive destruction and poor services. 

Podcast

The Hope to Return: Podcast Minisiries
podcast Souriyeh / سوريّة
Go to Top